QTK circle

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The quality-deadline-cost circle (short: QTK circle) is a case-independent thought model for the interaction of all activities in the creation and use phases of an end product , it was developed in 1986 by quality expert Walter Geiger. The QTK circle consists of the elements quality , deadline and costs .

description

The model consists of three circles. The outermost circle ("Q") is the circle that relates to quality-related activities. The middle circle ("T") is the circle of appointment-related activities. The innermost circle ("K") represents the circle of cost-related activities. The individual circles carry out quality, schedule and cost management. The three aspects of quality, time and costs must be taken into account in every activity, since satisfactory quality, meeting deadlines and low costs are important at all times. This applies to any type of action, whether simple or complex, machine or handmade. The end product (also: offer product) to which the QTK circle refers can be both material and immaterial.

The circle looks at the entire lifespan of a product , but not its disposal. This represents a special task. Regardless of whether the requirements for the end product change or the ability of the organization to meet them, the QTK circle applies. However, it must be noted that the QTK circle is valid regardless of the further development of the requirements. This means that in practice the quality requirements do not necessarily develop with technical progress. So there is no "quality spiral" that screws the demands up to an ever higher level.

The QTK circle refers to all the organizations that contribute to the product in any way. Be it a development company, a manufacturing company, a bank, a hospital, an insurance company, etc. It should be mentioned again that the QTK group does not only have to be limited to a single organization, but the bank can also work with the insurance company, for example . Thus, a single department cannot implement the complete QTK circle. However, it does not matter whether the offering product is used by an organization or by an individual.

Walter Geiger

Walter Geiger (1921–2017), who developed the thought model of the QTK circle in 1986, was a German expert on quality. He studied general electrical engineering and then high frequency and telecommunications technology at the Technical University of Munich . He received his doctorate from the Technical University of Munich in 1961. Until 1981, Walter Geiger held various, mostly quality-related management positions in business. Since 1982 he has been working as a consulting engineer in the specialist field of quality management. Geiger standardized national and international procedures and terms in the field of quality management . He also gave lectures on the subject of quality teaching at the University of Hanover. He also wrote technical books as an author .

Process phases

The QTK circle is divided into different phases: planning, implementation, use and testing. The respective circles of a phase all run in parallel. It is therefore important that the three components Q, T and K are treated equally. However, practice often shows that the focus in the individual phases is usually on one of the three components. Nevertheless, the circles are in principle equal.

The service creation phase describes the lower half of the QTK circle. On the one hand, it includes the planning and the realization of the end product. The upper half of the circle describes the process phase during the use of the service up to the end of its existence. The various phases (planning, implementation and use) always run one after the other in a clockwise direction.

The outermost (dashed) frame of the diagram describes that a QTK exam with exam quality takes place at all times in all phases of the circle.

Designation of the process phases as elements

Since a phase consists of many individual activities that can be subdivided, each phase can also be described as an element of combined activities.

  • QM element: The task of the quality-related process element of an activity is to meet the quality requirements for the product offered.
  • TM element: The task of the deadline-related process element of the activity aimed at scheduled delivery is to meet the deadline requirement of the activity so that the product offered can be delivered to the customer on time. (The TM element is the intangible product of "realized time design" in the realization phase.)
  • KM element: The task of the process elements of the cost-related activities is to meet the cost requirements so that the costs do not become too high, cover the total costs and also generate income.

The planning phase

Since a certain quality is required from the product offered, it is important that the planning of the activity is of high quality. This is also called planning quality. The implementation options play a major role in the quality of planning. It is often forgotten that in reality there is a planning quality for quality planning, for scheduling as well as for cost planning. Realization plans that can be applied well, with which the relevant requirement (quality requirement, deadline requirement or cost requirement) can be met, mean a satisfactory planning quality. The planning quality does not refer to the good quality of the product itself, but to the planning activities.

“There is planning quality in all planning activities. It is to be distinguished from quality planning. "

Realization phase

The realization phase, which follows the planning phase in the thought model, describes the control quality (also "realization quality") of the realization activities in relation to the quality requirements that are placed on the realization. Thus there is in turn a control quality of cost control, schedule control and quality control.

“There is steering quality in all steering activities. It is to be distinguished from quality control. "

Usage phase

The usage phase describes the upper half of the QTK circle. Here too, the activities and processes should meet the quality requirements for them (activities and processes). This applies to all three components (costs, deadlines and quality of the end product that is now in use). Again, one can speak of a planning and steering quality. These should lead to satisfactory work processes in all three components of the QTK circle. For example, a maintenance plan can be created with its schedule and cost plans, for example for a production machine or a commercial vehicle. In the usage phase, the quality-related component is primarily aimed at the reliability of the product offered.

It is often assumed that the usage phase only exists for material products and that this would last for a long time. However, this view is incorrect. The usage phase of the offered product can vary greatly depending on the requirements (type of usage, usage period, product quality), which is why no statements can be made about the usage period.

The exam phase

The examination phase encompasses the complete thought model .

In general, the following applies: “ Testing is the determination of the extent to which a unit fulfills a requirement.” It is therefore extremely important that a test of the respective element is carried out in every phase. Whether this is a quality check, a deadline check or a cost check depends on the respective requirement. The result of the test can be satisfactory or bad. As with the planning and control activities, there is therefore an audit quality here too.

“There is exam quality in all exam activities. It is to be distinguished from quality inspection. "

A common mistake in the implementation of the examination phase is that you do not examine the activity or the process yourself, but only assess it on the basis of the result. For example, in a (school) exam, mostly only the result of the task is evaluated, but not the processing itself. The requirements for the activities are different from those for the result, which is why a mere examination of the results in the QTK circle would lead to falsification, the requirements placed on the product offered.

A synchronous examination and assessment of the activities and their sequence should be aimed for. In this way, the planning quality of the plan, the control quality of the implementation control or the audit quality of an audit can be determined.

Double meaning of the individual circles Q, T and K

  • Together: The circles together represent the inseparable elements for the same activity. Inseparable, since every activity is subject to a quality requirement, a deadline requirement and a cost requirement.
  • Separated: The circles separately represent the many specialized activities that are carried out by different people and machines in the organization, be they experts in cost accounting, deadline or quality checks. These results lead to the offered product and its delivery.

Interfaces

Three interfaces in the QTK circle are particularly important.

The first interface is between the buyer ( customer , client ) and the supplier / producer before the start of planning. There, the desired product is discussed with regard to the quality, deadline and cost requirements of the product.

The second interface is between the planning and implementation phases. Theoretical planning is implemented there. Q, T and K are realized. Most errors happen at this interface due to incorrect information transfer and incorrect or insufficient planning.

The third interface is between the implementation and use phases. This phase is known as the " passing of risk " as it is a very crucial moment for the supplier / producer. Here the correctness of the planning phases is checked and the customer evaluates whether the product he wants meets his requirements.

The connection between leadership activities and the QTK circle

The leadership activities are of great importance for the QTK circle. Implementation is difficult to imagine without a management level that regulates the processes of employees and machines. The management tasks rarely relate to the "finished" product offered, but regulate the process in the many intermediate steps and thus enable the various activities to work together smoothly.

For example, the management level defines rules for the implementation of quality planning or gives certain employees the task of monitoring . In general, the management activities have the task of defining guidelines so that there is agreement within the individual phases as well as across phases. In addition, there should be agreement across all activities, taking into account quality, deadlines and costs. This requires a lot of planning, which is why the management activities also need planning quality. This is also referred to as "higher-order planning quality".

In spite of their importance, the management activities are not integrated in the QTK group, as they do not relate directly to the product offered and therefore do not represent an activity. They act from the outside on the QTK circle and are referred to as TM-guide element, KM-guide element and QM-guide element. In the management activities, all hierarchical levels are taken into account up to the top management and they apply to all components of the circle.

However: The results of management activities often describe a requirement for an activity that takes place in the QTK group. For example, top management passes a price limit on to the planning phase. This price limit has resulted from the market development . Accordingly, the planning phase now has the requirement to adhere to the limit given by the management level and to implement it. The result of management activities and the resulting processes are often referred to as "output".

Criticism of the QTK circle

A disadvantage of the QTK circle is that it does not reflect any specific order processing. The individual concrete activities are not specified. The interlocking of the running processes is not shown.

Example: In the case of repeat production, no complete quality planning and usually no new cost planning are necessary. In principle, the circle still applies, including the planning phases.

It should also be mentioned that in the thought model the individual circles all take place simultaneously. In reality, however, this is often not the case. For example, scheduling does not take place during the entire planning phase.

Regardless of the criticism, it is important to mention that the QTK circle remains unchangeably applicable despite new technologies or developments, changed customer requirements, but also because of new legal aspects. Furthermore, the QTK group shows that quality management does not only take place in a single department, but works across departments.

These findings play a major role and show that the QTK circle has a universal character in management thinking.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Mathias Schäfer: Kaizen - A Japanese quality management model as an opportunity for social work in Germany? GRIN, 2009, ISBN 978-3-640-37777-0 , pp. 8 .
  2. ↑ Kiederer, Christoph: Development of quality management strategies in an SME The importance of quality management systems and techniques for SMEs . 1st edition. Hamburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-8428-0774-7 .
  3. ↑ a b c Willi Kotte, Walter Geiger: Quality manual: Basics and elements of quality management; Systems - Perspectives . 4th, completely revised and exp. Ed. Vieweg, Wiesbaden 2005, ISBN 3-528-33357-X .
  4. ^ Bastian Grabski, Lars Krüger: Analyzes on quality and quality management of software and services. (PDF) November 26, 2009, p. 18 , accessed June 30, 2018 .
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g Walter Geiger: Quality theory: Introduction - systematics - terminology . 2nd Edition. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Braunschweig / Wiesbaden 1994, ISBN 3-528-13357-0 , p. 7th ff .
  6. ↑ To the author of the QM terms. Retrieved June 30, 2018 .
  7. ↑ The DGQ mourns: Prof. Dr. Walter Geiger passed away - German Society for Quality . In: German Society for Quality . October 11, 2017 ( dgq.de [accessed June 30, 2018]).
  8. ↑ Zollondz, Hans-Dieter .: Lexicon quality management manual of modern management on the basis of quality management - Edition insurance management . De Gruyter Oldenbourg, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-486-24316-0 .
  9. ↑ Zollondz, Hans-Dieter .: Basics of Quality Management Introduction to history, terms, systems and concepts . 3rd, revised, updated and expanded Edition Oldenbourg, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-486-59798-1 .
  10. ↑ The QTK circle. In: TEIA - Internet Academy, textbook publisher. Retrieved June 30, 2017 .